Tubing catcher



March 26, 1929.

H. E. GRAU ET A1.-

TUBING CATCHER 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 51,

- March 2.6, 1929. H. E. GRAU ET Ax. 1,706,779

TUBING' CATCHER Filed July 3l, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 26, 19219.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. GRAU vAND ANDREW J. COLMERAUER, OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

TUBING CATCHER.

Application led July 31, 1926. Serial No. 126,145.

This invention has to do generally with Y devices applied to oil well tubing whereby event the tubing parts or its coupling threads strip at a point above the device after the tubing has been set.

The 'invention is particularly concerned with that type of catcher wherein the slips are pivot-.ally movable to and from operative or catching position through paths which are radial with respect lto the vertical or Vlong gitudinal axis of the tubing, and even more particularly to slips which are pendant, though it will be understood the invention, considered in its broader aspects, is not limited to application to catchers having these particularities. n

lVhen in inoperative or collapsed condition, the slips are annularly spaced from the casing through which the tubing is lowered, but if the slips be not properly centered within the casing, or ifthe casing is crooked, as frequently the case, the serrated or toothed faces of the slips at one side or another are prone to contact with the casing and either cause the tubing to hang up or at least inter-fore with the smooth lowering of the tubing and cause undue wear on the slips.

Therefore, it is among the objects of our invention to provide a guide member on the tubing whereby the slips are centered during their progress through the casing, annular clearance thus being maintained between said slips and casing to insure that said slips do not accidentally take hold. As a further feature, this centering or guide member pref erably, though not necessarily, has elements engagingthe slips, preferably at their free ends whereby said slips are held from movement to operative position until relative longitudinal movement in given directionshas been set upbetween the tubing and slips.

Furthorobjects and features of' novelty will be made apparent inthe following detailed specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1is an elevation, partly in brokenaway section, of a catcher embodying our invention; the catcher being in collapsed or inoperative position; Y

Fig. 2 is a view generally similar to Fig. 1 but showing the'catcher in expanded or operative position;

g Fig. 3 is a section on line 5-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 1 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 shows a variational form of catcher.

Our invention is here shown applied Vto a catcher embodying a plurality of pivotally mounted, pendant slips which are movable radially to and from operative or expanded position, the slips preferably being so designed that they tend normally to hang in contracted or inoperative position, while an expanding or spreading member is adapted forcibly to urge them to operative position when relative longitudinal movement of the slips and tubing, in given directions, is set up designates an ordinary casing within which the tubing 1l is adapted to be set, we have shown a catcher as including an elongated nipple 12 inserted in and coupled to the tubing by collars 13 and having a downwardly pointing spreader cone or cain member lll ailixed to said nipple at a point which is preferably, though not necessarily, approxi mately midway between collars 13.

A carrier-member or ring 15 is mounted for movement longitudinally along` that part of nipple lwhich extends between the top of cone 14 andV the upper collar 13. Ring l5 has a plurality of lug pairs 16, the number of pairs depending upon the number of slips used and the number of slips being optional and depending mainly upon the size of the installation; and theiupper ends l of Shanks 17 of slips 18 are pivoted to said lugs 1G byV pins 19.v

The slips preferably, though not necessarily, are so designed, as regards their weight disposition, that they tendnormally to hang approximately in the position shown in Fig. 1,` that is, with their serrated faces 2l) well clear of the inner wall of casing 1t),

Thus, in Fig. 1, where the numeral 10` and to insure that they normally will not swing outwardly into contact with the casing, we may provide the upper ends of .shank 17 with angular noses 21 adapted to engage the top 22 of member 14 when the slips are collapsed. A consideration of the showing in F 1 demonstrates that with these noses in contact with the upper face of the cone, the slips can not swing radially outwardly unless relative longitudinal movement occurs between the cone and ring 15and such movement does not normally occur unless the tubing be suddenly dropped. However, it will be yunderstood that the .provision of ine' 'noses 21 is not controlling on the invention,

for we have illustrated a variational liorm wherein said noses are omitted without departing' from the spirit and scope of our broader claims.

A guide-ring or spider for member 23 is rigidly 'fastened to nipple 12 at a point below spreader cone 141, this ring preferably,

thouglrnot necessarily, consisting` of a dislilile body member 2d having radial proyections 25. The iro ortions olf the rine are such taat projections 25 normally slightly 'with the inner wall of the casing', and, it the assembly be loweredthrough a crooked casg, shitting the tubing and assembly so annular clearance between slips and casing is preserved.

'lhe spidcr-lihe-or lun' characteristic of the guide member is desirable since it oHers less resistance to the. lowering ot the tubing, and allows the passage of fluid therepast, as will be readily understood.

Preferably, the upper face ot the body portion o' member 2,3 isconvex or dished, there being an annular flange 2G about the body portion which delines the concavity and provides an inwardly facing,rangular shoulder Q7. r he lower ends 28 ot the slips preferably have inwardly and dowinvardly inclined lacesy 29y which are substantially complementary to faces 27, and the various parts arose proportioned that the distance d between the casing and the high point 29 of shoulder 27 is less than the distance d bethe outside olf lianee 26. Vlre'ferabl when v D 7 ring loisin its lowermost position, that is, when noses 21 rest. on top 'the cone wedge,

there is slight clearance between the end olA the slips and guide-member 23, though this clearance is not essential to the invention.

lt will be seen that as long as the parts are in the relative position shown in Fig. 1 flange Qtiserves to hold the slips in collapsed or inoperative position even though ring 15 be raised slightly, the guide-member thus serving the dual function oiya centering means and a slip retention means.V l

As the tubing is lowered through the casing, and unless the drop of the 'tubing proper be suddenly accelerated, the parts remain in the position shown in Fig. 1. However, should the tubing be suddenly dropped, either intentionally or by reason of a partving of the tubing or stripping oli the tubing threads at a point above the catcher, cone l-l and member 23 will move downwardly with respect to ring 15 and slips 18, lor reasons that are apparent, noses 21 and the ends oi slips 18 thus being released from operative association with cone 14- and member Q3, respectively; the slips thus being released so they may travel radially outwardly with resinect to the longitudinal axis ofthe tubing. llhis radial movement is forcibly accomplished by the action oi the spreader cone against the inner, complementarily inclined faces 18y oic the slips, said slips moving pivotally about pins 19. The slips are thus driven by the spreader 'torcibly ,inst the inner wall of the casing, the serrations on lace 20 'tightly gripping the casing as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the catcher assemliily thus holding the tubing from further drop, as will be readily understood, it being apparent that the slips are wedged tightly between the cone and the casing and hence, in

dieet, between the tubing and casing.

ein upward pull then exerted on the tubing, imparted either through the tubing),` aber it the latter be intact, or by a lishing tool, lirst serves to draw the spreruler cone upwardly with respect to the slip r, ruddy, whereupon they normally tend to swinj inwardly by gravity, member 233 linally reaching the position shown in Fig. 1 and noses 21 finally being engaged by the one to hold the slips in inoperative position. In the t d slip teeth tend to cling to the even-v me ing after the cone is partially raised, 'the Contact oi the cone with the noses 21 and 'the Contact of shouldere 9j? with slip-face 29 positively moves the slips inwardly and :trees the scrrations trom the ca, ng. 'l`lici'c:rl tei', the tubing may zngainl be lowered with the sli ps correctly centered and held from unintentional engagement with the ca the lift ofthe assembly may be co without engagement between said slips and casing.

ln F 5 we have illustratori a n'iodillcation wherein all parts similar to those shown in' the other figures are given the same rel'erence numeral with the addition oit the eX- ponent a The variation consists in the elimination of noses 21, the ends of Shanks 17a beine' in the Jorm olf bosses Ll() iivotallv connected by pins 19 to ring 15aln this instance, dependence is had entirely upon shoulder 27 of flange 26 lor releasably holding slips 18n in collapsed position, the weight of the slips and ring 15 being taken entirely by member 23a, though this particular method ot' ring and slip support is not controlling on this variation of the in- Vention.

The operation ot the variation shown in Fig. 5 is the same as that described in connection with the other views, with the exception that the positive return of the slips to inoperative position, in the event the slips do not gravitate to collapsed position when the tubing starts upwardly, is accomplished solely through engagement of shoulder 27 with shoulder 29th t will be understood the drawings and description are to be considered merely as illustrative ot and not restrictive on the broader claims appended hereto, tor various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ot said claims.

IVe claim:

l. In a tubing catcher embodying` slips supported by the tubing and movable radially with respect to the ltubing axis into and out of operative position, a guide member on the tubing below the slips and extending radially beyond. the slips when said slips are in inoperative position, and releasable means adapted to hold said slips in inoperative position, said slips being engageable by the guide member'.

2. In a tubing catcher' embodying slips supported by the tubing and movable radially with respect to the tubing axis into and out ot operative position, a guide member on the tubing below the slips and extending radially beyondthe slips when said slips are in inoperative position, and means on the guide member adapted to hold said slips releasably in inoperative position.

3. In a tubing catcher embodyin pendant slips supported by the tubing and movable radially with respect to the tubing axis into and out of operative position, a guide member on the tubing below the slips and extending radially beyond the slips when said. slips are in inoperative position, and releasable means adapted to hold said slips in inoperative position, said slips being engageable by the guide member.V

il. In a tubing catcher embodying pendantV slips supported by the tubing and movable radially with respect to the tubing axis into and out of operative position, a guide member on the tubing below the slips and extending radially beyond the slips when said slips are in inoperative position, and means on the guide member adapted to hold said slips releasably in inoperative position.

5. In a tubing catcher embodying` pendant slips supported by the tubing and movable radially with respect to the tubing axis into and out of operative position, a member on the tubing adapted to eoact with the lower ends of the slips to hold them releasably in inoperative position, and radial extensions on said member extending radially beyond said slips when the latter are in inoperative position.

6. In a tubing catcher embodying pendant slips supported by the tubing and movable radially with respect to the tubing axis into and out of operative position, a spider on the tubing below the slips, and an upstanding flange near the outer edge ot the spider, the lower, tree ends of the slips being adapted to lie in horizontal alinement with the inwardly facing shoulder formed by the flange, when said slips are in Ainoperative position.

'7. In a tubing catcher embodying slips supported for limited longitudinal movement along the tubing and movable radially with respect to the tubing axis into operative position by virtue of relative longitudinal movement between the tubing and slips in given directions, a guide memberfon the tubing below the slips and extending radially beyond the slips when the latter are in inoperative position, and means on the guide member adapted to torce the slips radially from operative to inoperative position, said last-named means being operable by virtue of relative longitudinal movement of the tubing and slips in directions opposite the given directions.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 17th day ot' July, 1926.

HERBERT E. GRAU. ANDREV J. COLMERAUER. 

